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Tiananmen Voice will remain

4 Jun 2009

Over the last two decades, China had materialistically developed far beyond their expectations. The national growth rate meritoriously pounded on a high note of 10 digits. It is primarily due to the economic liberalization formula, which Premier Deng had adopted, but Zhou later claimed that it was his idea.

In 1989, when the world communist paternity was shaken to their end with the events of Soviet Union collapse and reunification of Germany, all eyes were on China. During that time, China was also in the state of socio-economic problems, lingering on a widespread anarchy, corruptions, and unemployment. Communist China, in order to survive, had decided to face off their socialist ideology by implementing capitalist entrepreneurship. China, later proudly claims, Socialism in their own character.

This year, during Mao's death anniversary at his hometown, I was fascinated to learn that many people are buying his Red Book, which was once considered a bible of Communist China. Even though, Great helmsman, Mao had many legacies such like reunification of all nationalities into motherland, social systems like commune and medicare were in service of the common people. But, his economic policies of modernization failed drastically as it toppled the nation's economy into doom. Despite Great Leap Forward, Cultural Revolution and his human rights record, whole China salutes his giant portrait in front of Tiananmen Square, Beijing till date.

After Mao's death, the transitory government failed to uplift the social problems, which led to the rise of Deng Xiaoping, who was earlier accused of being rightist. Deng Xiaoping later opened the market to the outside world that boomed Chinese economy skyrocket. But, the severity of socio-economic system came into scene as a result of his economic policy unlike Mao's time. Anarchy remains unavoidable. Economic prosperity resulted in the increase in corruption, back channels and nepotism. General populaces were drowned in the deep economic whirlpool of economic clashes where minority enjoys the virtue of its economic liberalization.

Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang were amongst the prominent reformists who challenged the system to make it people's friendly. Democratization of government and the rule of law were their main agendas. Traditionally, Chinese people were loyalist, but the communist system in which they adapted in 1989 was beyond their acceptance.

In 1989, thousands of students gathered at the square to mark their respect for their beloved leader, Hu Yaobang. But, as more and more students gathered, along with the trade unions and the common people, grievances on issues facing the country such like freedom, employment and democracy were raised. The people's movement was carried on for three months of mass camping in front of the Government building in Tiananmen Square, chanting slogans and revolutionary songs, and negotiating with the government officials. All they had was a unified voice of truth, justice and freedom against the armed soldiers, tanks and machine guns. One of girls among the demonstrator told BBC radio that they are ready to die for the freedom and they did sacrifice their life for the freedom of China.

Party elders, Deng, Li Peng and other hard liners felt the threat of Communist regime and more so with their positions. With their act of cowardice, thousands of unarmed people were savagely killed and whole Beijing was flooded with bloods and tears. They are real martyrs who sacrificed their life for the cause of future China. So much has been changed in China since that incident. Yet, Chinese Communist regime contempt the June 4 people's movement as a taboo and still tries to wipe out from the China's contemporary history. With the Internet censorship, media manipulations, Government controlled schools and college textbooks, it is hard for the China's younger generation to know about the facts of 1989 incident. But will the regime able to close this chapter forever?

Twenty long years had passed, the bloods in the Tiananmen Square were evaporated into a dust, but the memories of June 4 remain deeply in the heart of people. I have seen videos of many people hesitated to talk about that incident with the fear that government will harass them. But, there are also many people who openly talked about it, despite government pressure. Many exiled Chinese who joined the demonstrations are longing to return to China but the fear of prosecution had distant them from their motherland. The Chinese government must realize that those thousand souls were the sons and daughters of China. International communities had openly criticized China and even sanctioned her but China did not even care about the status of those student leaders who are still languishing in prison.

With the rise of political power, China utterly shuts her ears to the other states, but China dare not challenge its own people. Even though, the Chinese people are still loyalist and nationalist, it does not necessarily mean that they are loyal to the CCP. After 1989, China geared up its economic prosperity to shun the people from engaging in political discussions, it has succeeded so far. But for the last couple of years, public grievances are piling in and petitioners are increasingly addressing their problems. It is the test of time for the Chinese leaderships, whether their policy helps sustain China. If their grievances are not taken into consideration, China will ultimately plunge into a sorrowful state of affair. Without them, China will not sustain. It is understandably that China develops, due to those brave young Chinese brothers and sisters who raised their voices in unison at Tiananmen Square, twenty years ago. Despite government censorship and propaganda, the Tiananmen Voice will remain in the hearts and minds of all Chinese people, I guess even for those Chinese leaders who mercilessly killed them.